General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsConfirmed: Fracking Triggers Quakes and Seismic Chaos
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/07/earthquakes-triggered-more-earthquakes-near-us-fracking-sitesPrevious studies, covered in a recent Mother Jones feature from Michael Behar, have shown that injecting fluids into the ground can increase the seismicity of a region. This latest study shows that earthquakes can tip off smaller quakes in far-away areas where fluid has been pumped underground.
Fracking waste fluids "kind of act as a pressurized cushion," said a lead author on the study.
The scientists looked at three big quakes: the Tohuku-oki earthquake in Japan in 2011 (magnitude 9), the Maule in Chile in 201 (an 8.8 magnitude), and the Sumatra in Indonesia in 2012 (an 8.6). They found that, as much as 20 months later, those major quakes triggered smaller ones in places in the Midwestern US where fluids have been pumped underground for energy extraction.
This huge push to natural gas will be an ecological disaster
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Berlum
(7,044 posts)cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)Once they're through making billions from fracking for oil and gas, which will render our ground water largely undrinkable, the big energy corporations can turn to selling us highly priced bottled water, and they'll make billions more.
rurallib
(62,448 posts)will be considered an "externality" and the cost will be "shared" by the public.
It is what they call a "win-win."
how is my corporate speak?
ElsewheresDaughter
(24,000 posts)malaise
(269,182 posts)in the vicinity of the fracking - greed kills.
BB1
(798 posts)Can somebody stop this monstrosity?
Number9Dream
(1,562 posts)Thanks for posting this. When convenient, would you please cross-post this to the Pennsylvania group. We have a permanent thread for fracking related issues.
Nitram
(22,890 posts)that the dangers of fracking need to be well-publicized. But we don't do the cause any justice when we hype it up with phrases like "seismic chaos." Simply stating the fact about quakes and tremors is far more effective.
davidthegnome
(2,983 posts)Perhaps you would require something more dramatic, but as far as I'm concerned, earthquakes and the potential for large earthquakes, really IS seismic chaos. Does it have to directly trigger an enormous earthquake before you can legitamately call it "seismis chaos"?
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)several years ago but I guess well hidden. Corporate media will not cover this.
When earthquakes hit again in regions who normally are not known for them and do fracking will again claim "its unusual" and shit like this happens every so often so there nothing to see here.
One big one which I pray "won't happen" will finally open the eyes of a lot of people hopefully informing them that fracking ain't good for their lands.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)A big one happening is what it just might take to get people to pay attention. Then again, the one in Japan didn't cause much alarm except for the nuclear power plants (another disaster waiting to happen).
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)over by Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, etc. We are screwing ourselves one whole at a time.
Javaman
(62,534 posts)destroying water and destroying the land.
DCBob
(24,689 posts)The big quakes triggered smaller quakes in areas where fracking was taking place. Still not good but looking that map some might get the wrong idea.
allan01
(1,950 posts)no one in high places seems to give a hoot about the 99% and or the plannet. is this what we have become?
TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)Would you rather keep burning coal for power?
davidthegnome
(2,983 posts)seems to me like a bad idea. We have alternate energy sources which we should be using, but aren't. It's largely a matter of financing - the oil companies have billions, the government is always willing to lend a hand... or a whole frigging arm.
The potential for "seismic chaos", I think, suggests that this might be kind of stupid. Consider the quake in Japan - what happens if and when this fracking triggers a large earthquake in a major US City? What happens when it triggers one near a nuclear power plant here? We could very well create a wasteland right here in the USA with this method.
We don't understand the dangers well enough, this is still a relatively new practice... I think it requires far deeper research before we take it further, but unfortunately, we have already become largely reliant upon it.
TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)of co2 into the atmosphere annually.
Edit: and fracking isn't new; it's been practices for decades, at least since the 1940s. It's the large scale use that's new.
byeya
(2,842 posts)TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)get off the internet and stop using electricity and creating the demand.
byeya
(2,842 posts)stop gap legislation allowing some fracking in that state.
New York is one state where fracking is not allowed but pressure is on to allow it even there.
(that's the information I've read; I'd love it if it's incorrect and somebody tells me)
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)I'd like to ask that you provide a cite for that 'cause it doesn't sound quite right, does it?
byeya
(2,842 posts)the Big Greens came from Kristin Lynch of Food & Water Watch.
The Sierra Club and NRDC both said they were getting the best deal possible because there was no Illinois law and no federal law.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)recently sold off leases to oil companies here in CA who intend on fracking, particularly in and around the San Joaquin Valley. This is a large agricultural area where most municipalities rely on underground water. I'm SO looking forward to this fight 'cause it's gonna be HUGE.
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)Yes, I cannot WAIT for that fight. Talk about one of the more idiotic things to hit our State.
AZ Progressive
(3,411 posts)"Yesterday, Josh Fox, the Oscar-nominated director behind the anti-fracking movie Gasland, witnessed fracking going on adjacent to an oil field in Baldwin Hills, close to a residential neighborhood as well as a public park, and directly on a known fault line. This is a fairly new phenomenon, where oil and gas companies use the oil lands theyve already leased for fracking. The Western States Petroleum Association, an industry group, promised yesterday to voluntarily report fracking activity at FracFocus, a website tracking fracking across the country. The WSPA said that companies fracked on 628 wells in California last year, out of tens of thousands of oil and gas wells.
Fox held a press event in Baldwin Hills yesterday and spoke last night at the Hammer Museum in Westwood about this new threat. This could trigger a 7.4 earthquake, he said bluntly."
This is one of the most moronic things any corporation can do. I tell you, these corporations are basically like putting someone totally insane or suicidal to drive you.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)are not out in the streets on this. I don't get it. We're gearing up here in the Central Valley.